Alternate Ending

Author's Notes: This begins the alternate ending with another person as the mastermind instead of Eric Bischoff. It begins with Chapter 28 right after Therese's and Jenkins' confrontation.

Chapter XVIII (A): If You Won't, I Will

"I don't believe you. Who set you up to do this?" Therese harshly asked. Jenkins said nothing. "I will shoot. Who are you working for?" He turned his head away from her. "Tell me now," she said slowly, enunciating each word carefully, and aimed the 9mm right above his head at a plywood box, firing off a shot. "Who!" she shouted.

"Shawn Michaels!"

"You lie," she screamed, struggling up to one knee and aiming between his legs.

"Look, lady," he shouted back, "I'm not gonna lie with you pointing that at my crotch."

It can't be possible, she thought and barely noticed Andrew Harrison turning the corner, along with a security guard and a policeman behind him. The officer immediately cuffed the stalker while the guard picked up the gun. Harrison quickly rushed to Therese's side, where she had slid down the wall to deal with the physical and emotional pain.

She raised her eyes to see several more people swarm into the hall and focused on one in particular, Shawn Michaels. One of the guards cordoning off the area stopped him and Therese tried to struggle away from Harrison, who was trying to tie a make-shift bandage around her thigh. "It was Shawn Michaels," she stated through clenched teeth. As she said his name, the wrestler rushed away.

"What was Michaels?" the guard asked.

"Shawn set Jenkins up to it."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll go get him if you won't," she ground out and pushed Harrison away. She tried to stand and only managed one wobbly step before one of the paramedics caught her. "Let me go. I have to save Steph…" She gulped down a breath of air and feebly pushed at the man holding her. "Harrison," she shouted and breathed heavily. "Shawn Michaels paid Jenkins to stalk her…" The blonde nailed the EMT's shin with her foot when no one made a move to go after him. She was instantly on her back with Harrison holding her down on one side and the uninjured paramedic on the other. "Please listen to me," she cried to the security guard, pleading with her eyes. When the other EMT turned to her with a syringe, she struggled as hard as she could against them but they held her tighter. "It was Shawn…" she trailed off as the needle pricked her arm and she drifted off into blackness.

When Shawn saw Therese's eyes light on his and speak his name, he knew from the look on her face and the tone of her voice that she had gotten Jenkins to confess. After learning her true identity, he had to stop her or at least keep Colin from talking. Now, he had few precious minutes to get Stephanie out of the building. The police officer outside of her office door had just received the news that the stalker was caught and Shawn immediately offered to tell Stephanie. With the man out of sight, he burst into the office. "Steph, we have to go now! The guy shot Therese and got loose!"

"Where are the police? I'll go to them! Is Therese okay?"

"They let her get shot! I'm taking you away from here," he said, grabbing her by the arm. She reached for her purse as he dragged her to the door.

"Is Therese still alive?" she demanded, stopping dead still, causing her to stumble along under his pull.

"I don't know. Maybe," Shawn replied, jerking her forward by her arm.

"What?" The tears started welling up in her eyes.

"You'll be next if I don't get you out of here."

"Where are we going?" she asked, climbing into the rental car.

"I don't know," he honestly responded. This was not supposed to happen and now he was running on the fly. Plans had been to bring her back to her room alone after the show. Taking her there now might buy him some more time and Therese would definitely not be there any time soon. "I guess we'll go to your hotel room until I think of something."

Stephanie was quiet as the news began to sink in. Therese was injured and she didn't know how badly. The stalker was still on the loose and possibly coming for her. Her heart beat so loudly in her ears that she hardly heard the crack of thunder. The heavens opened and the rain poured down so hard that Shawn could barely see how to drive. He had to concentrate on maneuvering the vehicle instead of what to do next.

Kevin had heard the last gunshot and rushed in the direction from which he had hoped it came. Other people were moving in the direction and he followed them. From his height advantage, he could see officers pulling a cuffed man to his feet that Kevin assumed was the stalker. Pushing through the crowd, he came upon another guard attempting to keep people out. His eyes swept the area and caught sight of Therese who was being held up by a paramedic. There was blood everywhere on the floor and a wide piece of cloth wrapped around her leg with red stains seeping through. He heard her shout a man's name, followed by "Shawn Michaels paid Jenkins to stalk her…" When she lashed out at the paramedic, a hefty woman and a man pinned her to the ground. The guard holding people back didn't stand a chance against the giant as he pushed by him. He couldn't make it to her to stop the man administering the sedative.

When Therese went limp, Harrison left her to the paramedics to confront Nash. Others had trailed after him and now the head security guard held up his hand to let them know Kevin was okay to be there. Andrew knew who Nash was and that he had been unwisely asked to help. "What did you just do to her?" Kevin demanded.

"She went ballistic and started attacking people. For her safety and ours, we had to do that."

"Did you listen to a word she said?" Kevin said, gesturing at her while the EMTs carefully loaded her onto a stretcher.

"She kept saying Shawn Michaels was the man behind Jenkins."

"Are you going to act on it?"

"When I turn that information over to the police, I'm sure they will," Harrison sternly replied. The snort behind them caused the two to turn around where Jenkins was being held by the officers. Kevin took a swing at him and several other men rushed over to restrain him as Jenkins laughed and worked his jaw loose from where he had been hit.

"Who do you believe?" the stalker growled. "Your best friend or your girlfriend…or the man who told her," he added with a leer.

Kevin struggled against those who held him. Harrison, a man only a half of a foot shorter than Nash, forcefully stated, "The wise decision would be to go with Miss Blair to the hospital and leave the rest of this up to the police."

When the guards released him, Kevin blocked the way of the paramedics and began fumbling around the blanket that covered the unconscious woman. They tried to stop him but he yelled, "I'm getting her things from her pockets." Fearing him, the man and woman backed off. He fished in her suit pockets until he pulled out her cellphone and hotel key. With a glare at everyone around him, he stalked off. Whether or not Shawn did it, he had to find him.

Instead of searching the arena for the missing man, Kevin immediately checked to see if their rental car was in the parking lot. Asking the guards at the garage door, he learned that Shawn and Stephanie had left together mere minutes ago. He had no idea what to think and leaned up against the wall outside the side door to the lot. Therese had turned his world upside down and now she was accusing Shawn of paying that man to stalk Stephanie. Was she trying to destroy his life…or was she telling the truth? He knew Shawn far longer than Therese and would have trusted him over her. If the police were going after Shawn, he needed to warn him. If he was running, it was because he was innocent and didn't know what to do. Kevin had to convince him to give himself up and they would work through this accusation. But the words of the stalker seemed to imply otherwise.

A car pulling into the arena caught his attention and the guard sauntered over to give the person approval to park. When he did, Kevin noticed it was John Cena and remembered Therese had mentioned that Cena had a thing for Stephanie. He was instantly at John's door when he climbed out of the car with a wary look.

"Listen to me, man," Kevin began. "Stephanie was taken from the arena after she was attacked by this stalker. Let me have your car to try to find her."

"Are the police doing something about this?" Cena asked, a look of surprise widening his features.

"Not yet."

"I'm going with you," the shorter man replied and got back into the car.

"Two of us will scare him off. Stephanie wouldn't want you getting hurt too."

"I'm not staying—"

"You will. Give me your keys," Kevin interrupted, pulling himself up to his full height and towering over Cena.

"Here," John said with a scowl, handing Nash the keys. "I will be getting a call to let me know what happens?"

"Yeah," Kevin replied and slid into the car.

"Shawn, I think we need to let someone know we're here," Stephanie said, wringing her hands when he returned to her with his suitcase.

"No," he abruptly answered. After seeing her shocked look, he added, "If anybody knows, he might find you. Are you done packing?"

"Yes, but, Shawn, I don't understand. This guy has apparently been trying to get at me for over three months. I've been under his nose all along. Why would he try anything here and you with me?"

"He assaulted you and shot Therese. Steph, was tonight not enough for you?"

"I will go with you, but I have to check on her," she replied and dug through her purse for her cellphone. Shawn instantly grabbed it from her. "What are you doing?"

"Who did you plan on calling? She's probably at the hospital in surgery."

"Can we call Kevin to check on her? We can trust Kevin. He won't tell anyone where we're going."

"Stephanie," he sternly replied, "we can't call anyone."

"Why?"

"Because that's the way it has to be!" he loudly answered, turning narrowed eyes on her.

"Shawn, what are you not telling me?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You aren't answering any of my questions. You're trying to get me out of here when this," she gestured around the room, "this has worked for me and Therese in the way of security. What is going on?"

"I'm in charge now. We do things my way."

"Well, excuse me," she sarcastically replied.

Shawn advanced on her and threw her down on the bed, pinning her underneath him. "You ask too many questions."

"What is wrong with you?" she shouted at him. He raised up and backhanded her. She was so stunned she lay there in silence.

"What is wrong? Jenkins screwed everything up. Therese Blair stuck her nose in my business," Shawn angrily answered. Stephanie struggled to get out from under him and he released her, only to stand in the small hall leading to the door. "He was supposed to keep her from interfering. I guess that's what you get for messing with a bodyguard."

Stephanie was beginning to regain her composure and asked, "Why do you know all this?"

"Because I set it all up!" Stephanie sucked in her breath and stumbled off the bed, cowering in the corner. "Yeah, it was me. I hired Colin Jenkins and the bastard didn't do what I paid him for."

"Why?" she asked through her sobs.

"I hired him to scare the hell out of you and send you running to me."

"B-but you-you had m-me," she stammered out.

"I wanted to dominate you, own you, then parade you in front of Triple H. But you wouldn't fold. You wouldn't come to me for one damn thing over what Jenkins did. Not one thing! He was supposed to rough you up enough to send you crying at my feet," Shawn replied, gesturing wildly.

He ranted about having the need to take everything away from Triple H, including her, to get his revenge on the man. When he moved on to how he thought he had feelings for her a couple of times but was obviously wrong, Stephanie had finally been able to control her crying. She was now trying to determine a way out of the room. He was scaring her to death and she was more fearful for her safety now than when Jenkins held a gun to her head. Her eyes lit on the adjoining door to Therese's room. It was pushed to but not latched. She wondered if she could dart out and make it through before Shawn caught her. She dashed for the door but Shawn met her there and threw her aside. "I don't think so," he angrily replied and started to slam the door but it flew open, smashing into his face.

Kevin Nash stepped through the door and picked Shawn up by his shirt, pulling the shorter man up to his level. "I don't think so either," Kevin said, dropping him and then punching him in the gut. Stephanie had grabbed the vase from the table and now smashed it into the back of Shawn's head, causing him to fall to his knees. Kevin pulled him back up and punched in the nose, which was bleeding already. Shawn fell backward to floor and didn't move. "You okay, Steph?" She nodded as he pulled out a phone to dial the police.

The officer on duty at the hotel was immediately up and had a groggy Shawn in handcuffs. He said nothing, knowing better than to incriminate himself in front of an officer of the law. Kevin pulled Stephanie into Therese's room to make certain she was alright. She assured him and then asked, "How did you figure it out?"

"Therese figured it out for me and—"

"Is she alright?"

"I think so," he replied, running a hand through his hair that had been drenched in the thunderstorm. "When I left her, she was fighting off paramedics and policemen to try to find you since no one else would listen to her about Shawn."

"Shawn said he wasn't sure if she was still alive," Stephanie bit out, her anger for Michaels.

"Oh, she was alive alright until they sedated her. I think Jenkins hurt her pretty bad though. As soon as we're done here, we'll go see her, okay?" Kevin said and pushed a lock of Stephanie's hair behind her ear.

"You're not done with the story."

"Right. Anyhow, I kinda carjacked John Cena…" He had to hold in the laugh from the look of surprise on Stephanie's face. "…well, he let me have the car. We have to call him and let him know you're alright. I didn't know if I should believe anything that Jenkins said about Shawn but, either way, I had to find him and warn him or stop him from hurting you farther. I remembered Shawn told me he had plans for you and him to spend some time alone in your room and to not bring Therese back here. On a hunch, I came here immediately. I used Therese's key to sneak in and I heard him tell you his intentions. When he made a move, I made a move."

"Thank you," she whispered and he hugged her to him. They immediately pulled apart when an officer called Stephanie's name and appeared in the doorway.

Kevin offered to talk to the police first while the brunette made a call to Cena. "John, it's Stephanie McMahon…thanks for letting Kevin take your car…no, everything's not exactly okay, but I'm okay…Don't worry about me…We'll get your car back to you…If I don't see you tonight, I'll see you next week."

Stephanie replaced the phone in her purse and lay across the bed. Hearing Therese's name in the other room, she pulled out the phonebook and called one of the hospitals listed. They refused to tell her anything until Stephanie declared herself the woman's sister and gave them enough of her personal information. Then, all they could tell her was that Therese was indeed there in the emergency room, alive, and in good condition, but the doctors were with her now and no more information was available.

By the time she was off the phone, Kevin was back into the room with her. "They need us to go down to the police station and give official statements," he explained, again running a hand through his hair.

She closed her eyes and dropped her head. "I guess I don't have a choice." He shook his head in response. "Alright," she sighed, collected her things, and riffled through Therese's until she found a file on her case.

Stephanie flipped through the folder while she and Kevin waited. When she was called into a bare office and sat down with a tape recorder, she was able to keep her emotion in check as she explained everything, from top to bottom after the arrival of the first letter. When asked about Pendleton, she was able to give them all the information needed to contact him.

Not that the rain had stopped, the two stood in the wet parking lot, leaning against their respective cars. "Come with me to the hospital?" Stephanie asked.

"I don't know. I have to think about things."

"Meaning Therese?"

He nodded and explained, "Things are completely different between us. I've lost my girlfriend and my best friend in one day."

"I lost a lover and a friend today. Albeit, it was one person. I understand," she replied and placed a hand on his arm.

"Did she use me?" he bluntly asked. Stephanie's eyes went wide at the question. "Was I a way to get to Shawn or whoever she thought it was?"

"No, of course not. She never once mentioned Shawn as a suspect."

"I feel like I was part of the job."

"Shawn and I…" She faltered in her words. "…worked so hard to get you two together. She was so afraid that she wouldn't be able to do her job if you were dating. She agonized over telling you the truth."

"You're not telling me this to make-up for Shawn?" Kevin asked, staring into her blue eyes.

"No, I promise. I wish you could tell me something to make-up for him. But for now, you can tell me you won't leave Therese for starters. At least hear her out," she replied.

"Steph…" he sighed and looked like he was about to cry. Seeing him, her face screwed up as tears begin to stream down her cheeks and she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. "Don't cry, Steph, I'll listen to whatever she has to say."

"No, it's just…" She took a deep breath to try to control her sobs. "Shawn…Therese…."

No other words were needed and he hugged her back to him. If he knew how he felt, he might have cried too, but everything inside was numb. He was more in shock over Shawn and feeling a bit guilty that he hadn't seen this coming. Therese was another matter. He didn't even know if that was her real name. Stephanie put his worries aside about her just using him but the ache that began to develop inside was wondering what kind of woman she really was.

When Stephanie was ready to leave, they returned Cena's car to the arena. She debated on hunting him down but the show was over and the wrestlers were streaming out of the back to their respective vehicles. She wasn't in the mood to be confronted by Sable, her father, or A-Train. The two quickly climbed into the limo and she instructed the driver to take them to the hospital.

Kevin sat across from her on the plush seat, worrying a small piece of paper through his fingers. He looked down at Therese's handwriting and blurted out, "Tell me the truth about Therese."

Stephanie looked up at him, jarred from her own thoughts. She too was numb on the inside but her skin on the outside was crawling with the feel of Shawn Michaels' body. He had known her in some of the most intimate ways that she considered only a caring man would know. Hunter's idea of sex was kinky but Shawn's was just classic, fulfilling sex. She was satisfied when they were done. The thought of his hands roaming her body now made her sick at her stomach. She hadn't told him she loved him yet because she was waiting for the right time. Obviously, he had never loved her but loved the thought of using her to manipulate her ex-husband. She had fallen for his tricks but at least she had the saving grace of not falling for his ultimate plan. Now, more than anything, she was glad that Therese had stopped her from confiding in him about her situation. The thought of how many times they had been alone caused her to shiver. At any one point in time, he could have "dominated," "owned" her, as he so eloquently put it.

All Stephanie wanted to do was not think about it and make sure Therese would be fine. She wasn't prepared to tell her story to Kevin when he asked. How much the other woman wanted him to know was up to her but Stephanie was afraid that if she didn't tell him the entire truth he would refuse to see her. With a short laugh after remembering how much they had rubbed each other the wrong way on the first day they had met, she began, "I was introduced to Therese when Shane insisted I see someone in security about the letters…"

TBC…

Author's Notes: Eric Bischoff hiring the stalker was more fun to write but I couldn't help but want it to be someone that generally would expect and do something that most fanfic writers won't do—the love interest turned villain. Apologies to those of you who have.

The sequel is a BIG "iffy." It's been so hard writing two stories at one time for almost a year and I have a couple of other projects I've put off to write these. If the muse strikes, I know that I won't be able to ignore her for long.